Treatment and Prevention
- Newly Diagnosed
- Treatment and Prevention
Treatment and Prevention
Know your treatment goals
The treatment goals of atrial fibrillation (AF or AFib) start with a proper diagnosis through an in-depth examination from a physician. The exam usually includes questions about your history and often an EKG or ECG. Some patients may need a thorough electrophysiology study.
Prevention and Risk Reduction
Although no one is able to absolutely guarantee that a stroke or a clot can be preventable, there are ways to reduce risks for developing these problems.
After a patient is diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, the ideal goals may include:
- Restoring the heart to a normal rhythm (called rhythm control)
- Reducing an overly high heart rate (called rate control)
- Preventing blood clots (called prevention of thromboembolism such as stroke)
- Managing risk factors for stroke
- Preventing additional heart rhythm problems
- Preventing heart failure
Getting Back on Beat
Avoiding atrial fibrillation and subsequently lowering your stroke risk can be as simple as foregoing your morning cup of coffee. In other words, some AFib cases are only as strong as their underlying cause. If hyperthyroidism is the cause of AFib, treating the thyroid condition may be enough to make AFib go away.
Doctors can use a variety of different medications to help control the heart rate during atrial fibrillation.
"These medications, such as beta blockers and calcium channel blockers, work on the AV node," says Dr. Andrea Russo of University of Pennsylvania Health System. "They slow the heart rate and may help improve symptoms. However, they do not 'cure' the rhythm abnormality, and patients still require medication to prevent strokes while remaining in atrial fibrillation."

Hi everyone. I was diagnosed with Paroxysmal Afib just over a month ago. Episodes are now occuring about once a week and can last from a couple of hours to over 24 hours. I'm physically fit and have been doing weight training and intense cardio most of my adult life. Resting heart rate usually hovers around 57-58. I eat well, am not a big drinker (weekends only), and have never smoked. The episodes I've had are awful, my heartrate will bounce from 60 to 130 to 170 at the drop of a hat, and it's affected my performance at work and my quality of life. My cardiologist has me on 10mg bisoprolol daily and 5mg Eliquis twice a day, I understand the importance of taking a blood thinner but the bisoprolol only seems to lower my HR at rest and does absolutely nothing during an AFib attack. Supplements include Taurine, Ubiquinol, regular COQ10, Magnesium, Vitamin D and Vitamin K2.
A couple of interesting points I've noted:
a.) Attacks often come on when I'm lying down, relaxing on the couch.
b.) They are never triggered by food intake, alcohol, and are only seldom triggered by exercise
c.) I have stopped a total of 3 attacks by jumping on my Assault Bike (basically an exercise bike with your upper body contributing) and doing 15 minutes of hard cardio at about 80% max effort. I did this today as a matter of fact
d.) Mild exercise (walking, yardwork, etc) does nothing to stop an attack
Anyway, just wanted to introduce myself and i look forward to learning more and forming a plan of action against this miserable condition

I'm a 67 year old female diagnosed a day ago. I'm on Eliquis and Cardizem (sp?). Will I ever live normally again? I get out of breath going to the mailbox or up one small flight of stairs? Will I ever walk a mile again? Or swim? Or vacuum my living room without shortness of breath? I feelike I'm 90. I hate this and I'm frightened. I'm having a TEE test on Thursday. Any advice/support would be very much appreciated.

Laying in bed on the morning of 11/30 I started getting a fast irregular heartbeat and was lightheaded, nauseated, and had chest tightness. After about an hour I called the doctor, who said to go to the ER. By the time I was able to get childcare and get to the hospital, it had resolved. They recommended following up with a cardiologist if I had further symptoms.
Since then I've had frequent palpitations during the day and episodes that my fitbit has classified as afib every day or every other day lasting 5-10 minutes. Brought the PDFs of these to my first cardiology appointment and he diagnosed paroxysmal afib based on them and did an echo which came back normal. He put me on metropolol and said that after a few weeks of being on this, afib should go away and stay gone since I have no structural abnormalities.
I've been on it for a week now, and still having a lot of palpitations. Slightly fewer afib episodes - only 3 in the last week, but they are lasting longer - closer to an hour.
Has anyone ever had short term metropolol "cure" their afib?
In need of recommendation for an EP in the Rochester, New York area
Hello, I was diagnosed with afib in January, 2017 and underwent an ablation the following July. I've since had 2 cardioversions and am scheduled for another this week. I was on Flecainide following my ablation but it was discontinued by...
read moreNot in the US and out of eliquis
Hi folks ,I have been here for a few years. I read your post but have not posted. Iam in Central America and miss counted my pills I'm 6 pills short. Can I substitute Zeralto. For eliquis? its the only thing I can get here....
read moreAblation + Watchman Device
Hello. I'm a 43 year old woman with Afib caused by a Sickle Cell Anemia. I was diagnosed with afib about a year ago, and was prescribed Sotalol and later, Cardizem. About a month ago, I had an ischemic (sp?) stroke. I was prescribed...
read moreAblation vs meds?
Hi all thank you for being here for me and each other. I'm new to Afib world and can't say I like it. I'm 54 and was diagnosed with Afib a couple of months ago. My Cardiologist now has me on 75 mg of metropolol plus blood thinner...
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